Consumers in China are willing to pay a premium for certain products labeled "Made in USA" because they see them as more durable and of higher
quality, a new study found.

The report, by the Boston Consulting Group (BCG), found 61 percent of Chinese consumers would pay more for a product made in the United States. When
products are of similar price or quality, about 47 percent prefer the U.S.-made alternative, more than double the number who would pick the
Chinese-made item.

"The Chinese consumer is quietly concerned about what they're getting," said Hal Sirkin, a BCG senior partner and co-author of the BCG study.

Consumers are responding to recent cases of lead paint in toys, tainted milk and other scandals that, in some cases, led to severe penalties for those
responsible. As more Chinese enter the middle class, they will increasingly look for value in the goods they buy rather than just the lowest price,
which will pressure Chinese manufacturers to improve quality, Sirkin said.

I have to admit that I avoid a lot of items that say "made in China" when i can,,

and I try to buy more Made in U.S.A. whenever possible..

I believe that most products made here in the U.S.A. are of better quality than elsewhere..

As the cost of producing and shipping goods from China rises, more U.S. manufacturers are expected to expand U.S. capacity, BCG predicts. And as
U.S. factories churn out more autos and auto parts, electrical equipment and furniture, they could spark an industrial renaissance with 5 million new
jobs, it says.

BCG recommends retailers lock in U.S. suppliers to attract shoppers, and is advising consumer brands to make their U.S. sourcing as visible as
possible. For now, relatively few do.

Funny thing is, I used to know a chap that worked for an American business, that was formed from a Chinese who moved here from China. He was from
China, and lost a wife in the whole Tienanmen Square fiasco.

He would stay at my house while visiting, and always wanted to go shopping for American goods to take home and sell.

His favorite thing to collect were Levi's while they were still made in America. Go figure! Now they are made in his own country!

"Like all companies, Levi is mostly driven by profit," says Quan, who is unconvinced that Levi has set up camp elsewhere for any other reason
than to cut costs. Historically, the textile and garment industries have often been the first to operate efficiently in developing countries because
producing textiles requires more unskilled labor and less sophisticated (read cheap) goods. This allows companies to concentrate on increasing profit
through design and marketing. Levi's recent plant closures, says Quan, "demonstrate the company's overriding concern with profit." The massive
overseas relocation that has taken place for decades is further predicted to increase when the Multi Fiber Arrangement (MFA) is phased out by January
2005. The MFA, an international, Byzantine quota system fashioned in the 1960s to protect First World producers from Third World competition, has
shielded the United States from the tremendous jump in Third World textile exports. When the MFA is finally phased out, low-wage producers in
developing countries, such as China, will quickly benefit. China's growth potential in the American market is huge, currently, U.S. imports from
China are five times as large as its exports, according to a report by the Economic Policy Institute.

Originally posted by Sissel His favorite thing to collect were Levi's while they were still made in America. Go figure! Now they are
made in his own country!

A person who knows fabric can tell. They are made from short fiber cotton (what would be floor sweepings here the chinese process and pass off as
wearable cloth) and pick up dirt like it is no tomorrow, they wear out faster and are now someting I avoid buying.
If the jeans feel fuzzy pass on them, what you are feeling are the ends of the cotton fiber, well made denim (wool and silk also) should feel smooth.

This content community relies on user-generated content from our member contributors. The opinions of our members are not those of site ownership who maintains strict editorial agnosticism and simply provides a collaborative venue for free expression.